Hot Topics:

Denver and the West

Denver chief judge to retire after almost 30 years on the bench

By Jordan SteffenThe Denver Post

Posted:
12/30/2013 03:35:14 PM MST

Updated:
12/31/2013 08:00:53 AM MST

Denver District Court Chief Judge Robert Hyatt pets bomb-sniffing dog Rex and talks with Denver County sheriff's Deputy Bill Swan recently at the City and County Building. Hyatt will retire Tuesday after serving more than 30 years on the bench. (Andy Cross,The Denver Post)

Denver District Court Chief Judge Robert Hyatt has never stopped marveling at the Denver City and County Building.

During his almost 30 years of service inside the courthouse, he's always found beauty in the gray granite walls and comfort in the worn wooden benches. In his decades as a judge, Hyatt has come to resemble the building he treasures — an unwavering figure for access to justice.

On Tuesday, Hyatt will enter the building as chief judge for the last time.

"It's been a special, special place to be for all of these years," Hyatt said, looking around his chambers. "There's a lot of me wrapped up in this building, and it's hard to let go of that."

Hyatt's retirement Tuesday ends one chapter of his legal career, almost all of which was dedicated to Denver. The 63-year-old's grin overtakes his face and fills the room as he describes a challenging and fulfilling career.

It all started when he followed his wife, Sheila, to Colorado.

Sheila Hyatt was in her third year of law school when the couple married. Her husband started classes at the University of Missouri School of Law that fall.

The two moved to Colorado in the 1970s after she received a teaching position at the University of Denver.

Robert Hyatt was appointed to Denver District Court in 1987 and has served as a judge in the district ever since. He was appointed as chief in 2010.

Advertisement

"I think he realized that being a judge was not just sitting up there in a robe and making abstract legal decisions," said Sheila Hyatt, who is still a professor at DU's Strum College of Law.

Her husband seldom missed a family dinner with his children, Danny and Emily, but he still spent hours reviewing motions and arguments at home.

"Though there are parts of this job that are difficult, there are parts of this job that are demanding, it's been a wonderful job. And I've enjoyed every minute of it, " Robert Hyatt said.

Like most district judges in Denver, Hyatt rotated through almost every court, overseeing cases in the civil, criminal and family divisions, each of which brought different challenges. The cases he remembers the best, however, are also the ones he would rather forget.

He once tried what felt like an "endless string of murder cases" involving children as victims and defendants. Hyatt said he enjoyed the fast-paced, energetic feel of criminal court, but the emotional toll was heavy.

Still, Hyatt ensured the trials were fair and received the time they needed.

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey, who prosecuted several cases in front of Hyatt, remembers times when Hyatt's back pain was so severe he couldn't sit. While others may have called a recess, Hyatt listened to hours of testimony standing.

"He was committed to making sure that we got the work we had done," Morrissey said.

"He was always committed to making sure justice took place and people's rights were protected."

Civil cases, while often meticulous and challenging, taught Hyatt unique details about the state. He can't walk through Denver International Airport without telling his family intricate details about how the terminal was built — facts he learned while overseeing a lawsuit involving a claim against the architects.

Hyatt found his true calling in family court, helping families maneuver through some of their worst moments.

But no matter the case, Hyatt said he found hope.

"No matter how sad, no matter the measure of inhumanity people come here to ultimately gain some sort of resolution," Hyatt said. "To make sure that justice is done. That gives me great hope."

Denver District Judge Michael Martinez was appointed to the chief position. The incoming chief smiled and said he has Hyatt on speed dial. "It's going to be some really large shoes to fill," Martinez said.

Hyatt's family and colleagues know he will be anything but idle in his retirement. In addition to spending more time with his grandchildren, he has been accepted in the senior judge program, sits on the board of the Denver Dumb Friends League and volunteers at DU's Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families.

In spare moments, however, Hyatt said he'll stop in and wander through the beautiful granite hallways.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

PARIS (AP) — Bye, New York! Ciao, Milan! Bonjour, Paris! The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap the ready-to-wear fashion season. Full Story